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Treasurer presents Greenwood Countys proposed 2027 budget; no county millage increase
Summary
County Treasurer Stephanie Dorn told council the proposed 2027 budget holds county millage steady while proposing targeted fee increases and payroll adjustments, including a $5-per-vehicle road-user increase for resurfacing, a 13% fire-fee hike and a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for regular employees.
County Treasurer and Assistant County Manager Stephanie Dorn presented Greenwood County's proposed fiscal 2027 budget and told the council there is no proposed county millage increase.
Dorn said the general fund—"our largest fund"—covers core services including the courts, sheriff's department, coroner and parks. She explained how property assessment timing and ratios affect revenue, noting new construction must have a certificate of occupancy recorded by Dec. 31 to show up in the next budget year.
The presentation highlighted several fee and revenue changes proposed to shore up specific services. Dorn proposed a $5 increase to the road-user fee that is charged per vehicle and is to be earmarked for resurfacing; she said the county's primary resurfacing source (state CTC funds) is insufficient. She also described a proposed $25 maintenance fee per field for parks tournaments, a recommended increase in the out-of-county Lake Greenwood dock encroachment fee from $50 to $100, a 10% increase in airport hangar rentals and a $15 replacement fee for lost airport gate cards.
Dorn explained a 13% increase to the fire fee, which the treasurer said is partly tied to adding firefighters and partly to inflation. "That increase is the dollar and 40 cents increase at the top," Dorn said, and she noted roughly 12,000 taxpayers would see smaller annual increases while commercial properties would see larger adjustments.
Personnel and public-safety measures are also included: a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for regular full- and part-time employees effective in July, up to a 3% merit pool next January tied to performance evaluations, and the addition of four sheriff's deputies to uniform patrol. Dorn said a triennial compensation study will be completed during the fiscal year with any implementation considered in the FY28 budget.
Dorn outlined capital pressures: Lake Greenwood needs a five-year FERC-required assessment and substantial retaining-wall repairs at the dam—"these two items cost over $1,200,000," she said—and the landfill is completing a large cell expansion paid for in cash but will require long-term planning for future landfill cells.
On revenues and expenditures, Dorn summarized that the general fund budget stands at about $31.1 million, with roughly 68% of general-fund revenue from property and automobile taxes and more than 17% from intergovernmental sources. Public safety and general government administrative functions make up major expenditure shares. She also noted that the county completed the statutorily required five-year reassessment and will mail notices in June; reassessed values may prompt the council to consider a rollback millage later in the summer to prevent an unintended windfall.
The treasurer closed by reviewing the schedule for readings: first reading next Tuesday, a second reading with a public hearing on June 2, and a third and final reading on June 16.
The council did not vote on the budget at the meeting; Dorn and staff answered council questions and committed to follow-up details during the scheduled readings.
